Header height control system with multiple height sensors

ABSTRACT

A header system includes a frame; a cutter carried by the frame; a cutter sensor associated with the cutter which outputs a cutter height signal; a gauge wheel carried by the frame behind the cutter; a wheel sensor associated with the gauge wheel which outputs a wheel position signal; and a controller electrically coupled to the cutter height sensor and the wheel sensor. The controller is configured to: receive the cutter height signal; receive the wheel position signal; compare the cutter height signal and the wheel position signal to determine a terrain irregularity is present; and activate one or more actuators to adjust the frame in response to determining the terrain irregularity is present.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/262,439 filed Sep. 12, 2016, which is incorporated by reference inits entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to agricultural vehicles and, moreparticularly, to agricultural harvesters equipped with a header.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An agricultural harvester known as a “combine” is historically termedsuch because it combines multiple harvesting functions with a singleharvesting unit, such as picking, threshing, separating and cleaning. Acombine includes a header which removes the crop from a field, and afeeder housing which transports the crop matter into a threshing rotor.The threshing rotor rotates within a perforated housing, which may be inthe form of adjustable concaves, and performs a threshing operation onthe crop to remove the grain. Once the grain is threshed it fallsthrough perforations in the concaves and is transported to a grain pan.From the grain pan the grain is cleaned using a cleaning system, and isthen transported to a grain tank onboard the combine. The cleaningsystem includes a cleaning fan which blows air through oscillatingsieves to discharge chaff and other debris toward the rear of thecombine. Non-grain crop material such as straw from the threshingsection proceeds through a straw chopper and out the rear of thecombine. When the grain tank becomes full, the combine is positionedadjacent a vehicle into which the grain is to be unloaded, such as asemi-trailer, gravity box, straight truck, or the like; and an unloadingsystem on the combine is actuated to transfer the grain into thevehicle.

In combines with headers that are rigidly attached to the combine feederhouse, the combine is typically equipped with a header height control(HHC) system which adjusts the height and tilt angle of the headerrelative to the ground. The HHC system is particularly important toprevent the header from contacting objects in the field as the combineharvests crop material and also helps to keep the cutting apparatus ofthe header at a desired height relative to the ground in order to obtainthe desired crop collection. Known HHC systems include an actuatorlinked to a frame of the header, sensors which detect the height of thecutting apparatus relative to the ground, and a controller whichcontrols the actuator based on the sensed height of the cuttingapparatus. One type of sensor that can be utilized is a cutter sensorwhich contacts the ground and, based on the flexing of the sensor,determines the relative height of the cutting apparatus to the ground. Aknown problem with such cutter sensors is that once the cutter sensor isoff the ground, the HHC system cannot accurately determine whether thecutter sensor is two inches or two feet above the ground and thereforecannot reliably determine how to adjust the height and/or tilt angle ofthe header to return the header to the desired position.

Some headers also include one or more spring loaded gauge wheels whichstay in contact with the ground and help keep the header level as thecombine travels across the field. One particular problem that isencountered with such gauge wheels occurs when the header travels over alarge terrain irregularity which causes the cutter sensor to leave theground and the spring of the gauge wheel(s) to fully compress. In such asituation, the biasing force from the spring into the ground attempts tolift the header and, due to the rigid connection of the header to thecombine, the combine off the ground. This is further compounded by theHHC system sensing that the cutter sensor is off the ground andattempting to lower or tilt the header toward the ground in order toreturn the cutter sensor, and thus the cutting apparatus, back to theground. The net effect of these simultaneous motions can cause the frontof the header to be pointed into the ground as the combine movesforward, forcing the header to dig into the ground and potentiallycausing significant damage to the header and the combine.

What is needed in the art is a HHC system that can overcome some of thepreviously described disadvantages of known HHC systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provideda sensor associated with a gauge wheel of a header which can, inconjunction with a cutter sensor or alone, allow more accurate controlof a height and/or tilt angle of the header.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a header system including: a frame; a cutter carried by theframe; a cutter height sensor associated with the cutter and configuredto output a cutter height signal; a gauge wheel carried by the framebehind the cutter; a wheel sensor associated with the gauge wheel andconfigured to output a wheel position signal; and a controllerelectrically coupled to the cutter height sensor and the wheel sensor.The controller is configured to: receive the cutter height signal;receive the wheel position signal; compare the cutter height signal andthe wheel position signal to determine a terrain irregularity ispresent; and activate at least one actuator of an actuator system toadjust the frame in response to determining the terrain irregularity ispresent.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a header system including: a frame; a cutter carried by theframe; a gauge wheel carried by the frame behind the cutter; a wheelsensor associated with the gauge wheel and configured to output a wheeloverload signal when the wheel sensor detects the gauge wheel isdisplaced to a stroke end; and a controller electrically coupled to thewheel sensor. The controller is configured to: detect the wheel overloadsignal; and activate at least one actuator of an actuator system toadjust the frame in response to receiving the wheel overload signal.

An advantage of exemplary embodiments of the header system describedherein is that providing the wheel position sensor allows moreinformation about the terrain that the header is traveling on to bereceived by the controller, allowing the controller to more accuratelycontrol the height and tilt angle of the header.

Another advantage of exemplary embodiments of the header systemdescribed herein is that information from the cutter sensor and wheelposition sensor allows the controller to predict a slope of the groundthat the header is traveling across and adjust the tilt angle and/orheight of the header accordingly.

Still another advantage of exemplary embodiments of the header systemdescribed herein is that the wheel sensor outputting a wheel overloadsignal can allow the controller to adjust the header so as to avoid thesituation where the front of the header digs into the ground and causessignificant damage to the header and/or combine.

Still another advantage of exemplary embodiments of the header systemdescribed herein is that the controller can be configured to adjust oneor more of actuators of an actuator system depending on how the cutterand/or gauge wheel are oriented to adjust the frame appropriately forthe particular situation which caused the change in position of thecutter and/or gauge wheel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention,and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and theinvention will be better understood by reference to the followingdescription of exemplary embodiments of the invention taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of an agriculturalvehicle formed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the agricultural vehicle shown in FIG. 1approaching a slope;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the agricultural vehicle shown in FIGS. 1-2traveling as a header of the vehicle is traveling up the slope;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the agricultural vehicle shown in FIGS. 1-3when the header is near a top of the slope;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the agricultural vehicle shown in FIGS. 1-4 asthe header descends down the slope;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the agricultural vehicle shown in FIGS. 1-5 asthe header approaches a bottom of the slope;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating operation of a controller accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the agricultural vehicle shown in FIG. 1 withanother exemplary embodiment of a wheel sensor and controllerapproaching a slope;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the agricultural vehicle shown in FIG. 8 as theheader is traveling up the slope;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the agricultural vehicle shown in FIGS. 8-9when the header is near a top of the slope;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the agricultural vehicle shown in FIGS. 8-10as the header descends down the slope;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the agricultural vehicle shown in FIGS. 8-11as the header approaches a bottom of the slope; and

FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating operation of a controller accordingto another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views. The exemplifications set out hereinillustrate embodiments of the invention and such exemplifications arenot to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in anymanner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, anexemplary embodiment of an agricultural machine 20 formed in accordancewith the present invention is shown, including a header height control(HHC) system 22 operable for controlling height and tilting adjustmentof a header 24 carried on a front end 26 of machine 20, as machine 20moves over a ground surface 28, as denoted by arrow F. Harvestingmachine 20 is a typical, self-propelled combine harvester having achassis 30 carrying a conventionally configured and operable engine andpower train that drives tracks or wheels 32. The engine can power acutter 40 of header 24, which can include a conventionally configuredand operable sickle cutter, disk cutters, or the like, as well as a reel41, and gathering apparatus 44, which here is a draper belt system butcould be an auger device, all of which are conventionally configured andoperable.

A center region of header 24 is supported on machine 20 by a feeder 46,the front end of which is movable upwardly and downwardly relative tomachine 20 for setting a height, denoted by height H in FIG. 1, of thecutter 40. The cut plants will then fall onto a floor or pan of header24, aided by reel 42, and pass onto gathering apparatus 44. The cutplants are then carried by apparatus 44 to an inlet opening of feeder46, which will induct the cut plants and carry them internallytherethrough into machine 20 for processing, all in the conventional,well known manner.

To control the height, lateral tilting and fore-aft tilting of theheader 24, the chassis 30 carries an actuator system 34 with actuators34A, 34B, and 34C which can be linked to a frame 36 of the header 24and/or the feeder 46. One or more of the actuators 34A, 34B, 34C canalso be mounted to the chassis 30, if desired. The actuators 34A, 34B,34C can be pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders or other types of actuatorsthat exert forces on the frame 36, or a component connected to the frame36 such as the feeder 46, in order to lift, lower, and tilt the header24 in a conventional manner. The actuator system 34 can include, forexample, a height actuator 34A which is configured to vertically raiseand lower the frame 36 to adjust the height of the header 24; a lateraltilt actuator 34B which is configured to adjust the lateral tilt of theframe 36, i.e., side-to-side tilting of the header 24 relative to theforward direction F; and a fore-aft actuator 34C which is configured toadjust the fore-aft tilt of the frame 36, i.e., tilting of the header 24back-and-forth relative to the forward direction F. It should beappreciated that reference to “tilt” and “tilting” of the header 24herein can refer to both lateral and fore-aft tilting, unless only oneof the types of tilt is specified. The actuator system 34 iselectrically coupled to a controller 38 which sends signals to theactuators 34A, 34B, 34C in order to control the operation of theactuators 34A, 34B, 34C. As used herein, the controller 38 is“electrically coupled” to the actuator system 34 in the sense that thecontroller 38 is electrically coupled to each actuator 34A, 34B, 34C ofthe actuator system 34 so the controller 38 can activate each actuator34A, 34B, 34C. The actuator system 34 and controller 38 can beconfigured so the controller 38 can activate each actuator 34A, 34B, 34Cof the actuator system 34 independently of the other actuators. Thecontroller 38 can include, for example, an electrical processing circuitor central processing unit and memory that allow the controller 38 tosend and receive electrical signals to control various components of thevehicle 20, which will be described further herein. In the case ofpneumatic or hydraulic cylinders, the controller 38 can control one ormore valves (not shown) of the cylinder to fill or drain fluid fromwithin the cylinder, as is known. It should be appreciated that othertypes of actuators 34A, 34B, 34C can be used other than cylinders, suchas electrically powered actuators, in which case the controller 38 willcontrol the mechanism that causes extension and retraction of theactuators 34A, 34B, 34C. It should be appreciated that while theactuator system 34 is shown and described as including three actuators34A, 34B, and 34C, the actuator system 34 can have two actuators or mayhave more than three actuators to control positioning of the frame 36.

The controller 38 is also electrically coupled to a cutter sensor 42associated with the cutter 40 and a wheel sensor 48 associated with agauge wheel 50 which is carried by the frame 36 behind the cutter 40.The cutter sensor 42 detects the height H of the cutter 40 relative tothe ground surface 28 by contacting the ground surface 28 and flexing.Depending on the flexion of the cutter sensor 42, the cutter sensor 42sends a cutter height signal to the controller 38 which can have amagnitude indicating the height H of the cutter 40 relative to theground surface 28. To maintain the cutter 40 at a desired height Hrelative to the ground surface 28, the controller 38 can have a desiredheight value of the cutter height signal stored therein. When thereceived cutter height signal does not match the desired height value,the controller 38 can activate one or more of the actuators 34A, 34B,34C to raise, lower, or tilt the frame 36, depending on the value of thereceived cutter height signal, so the cutter 40 assumes the desiredheight and orientation relative to the ground surface 28.

On flat ground surfaces 28, such as the ground surface 28 shown in FIG.1, the cutter sensor 42 is sufficient to accurately control the height Hof the cutter 40. However, when the ground surface is not level, such aswhen the vehicle 20 is traveling across a slope, certain instances canarise where the cutter sensor 42 does not convey sufficient informationto the controller 38 to accurately control the height H and tilt angleof the header 24. To better follow the contour of such ground surfaces,the header 24 also includes the wheel sensor 48 which is associated withthe gauge wheel 50. The wheel sensor 48 can include a mount 52 connectedto the frame 36 of the header 24 and also an arm 54 connecting the gaugewheel 50 to the mount 52. To allow the gauge wheel 50 to adjust tochanges in height of the terrain as the vehicle 20 travels, the arm 54can be pivotally connected to the mount 52 so the gauge wheel 50 canpivot relative to the mount 52 during travel. To keep the gauge wheel 50engaged with the ground surface 28 as the vehicle 20 travels in theforward direction F, a spring 56 can be connected to the arm 54 thatbiases the gauge wheel 50 toward the ground surface 28.

In one exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the presentinvention, and referring now to FIG. 2, the wheel sensor 48 isconfigured to output a wheel position signal to the controller 38 whichcorresponds to a position of the gauge wheel 50, either linear orangular, relative to the mount 52. For ease of illustration, the header24 is illustrated in FIGS. 2-11 as a simple triangular shape. As shownherein, the wheel position signal is a wheel angle signal correspondingto a wheel angle αW, but it should be appreciated that the wheelposition signal can also be a linear wheel position signal correspondingto a height of the gauge wheel 50 or other measurement indicating thelinear position of the gauge wheel 50, such as the force stored in thespring 56. The wheel angle αW can be, for example, determined by thecurrent angular position of the arm 54 relative to the mount 52 and aneutral position of the arm 54, with a higher magnitude of the wheelangle signal corresponding to a larger wheel angle αW. The neutralposition of the arm 54, illustrated as a dashed line 58 in FIG. 2, canbe any angular position of the arm 54 relative to the mount 52, such asthe angular position of the arm 54 when the header 24 is on a flatground surface.

As shown in FIG. 2, the wheel angle αW detected by the wheel sensor 48is approximately 0°, since the current angular position of the arm 54overlaps the neutral angular position 58 of the arm 54. To allow thecontroller 38 to detect if the wheel sensor 48 is malfunctioning, thesensor 48 can be configured so the wheel angle signal sent to thecontroller 38 has a low magnitude, such as 0.5V, when the wheel angle αWis 0°. The magnitude of the wheel angle signal sent to the controller 38by the wheel sensor 48 can be proportionately increased from the 0.5V,signifying a wheel angle αW of 0°, with the controller 38 determiningthe wheel angle αW based on the received magnitude of the wheel anglesignal. It should be appreciated that the previously described exampleof how the controller 38 determines the wheel angle αW based on thewheel angle signal from the wheel sensor 48 is exemplary only, and thecontroller 38 and wheel sensor 48 can be configured in any way suitableto determine relative angle changes of the gauge wheel 50 as the vehicle20 travels across a field.

Still referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the header 24 isapproaching a slope 60 formed in a ground surface 62 that the header 24is traversing. The cutter 40, which can be carried at a front 64 of theframe 36, and the gauge wheel 50, carried behind the cutter 40, have aseparation distance relative to the forward direction F therebetween.Due to this separation distance, the cutter 40 and gauge wheel 50 can betraveling on two different grades of the ground surface 62. As thecutter sensor 42 is associated with the cutter 40, the cutter sensor 42will generally be traveling on portions of the ground surface 62 withthe same grade as the cutter 40. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the cuttersensor 42 has begun to flex due to contacting the incline of the slope60 while the wheel angle αW of the gauge wheel 50 is still 0° due to thegauge wheel 50 being on a flat surface. As the cutter sensor 42 hasbegun to flex, the cutter sensor 42 can send a cutter height signal tothe controller 38 with a magnitude signifying that the height H of thecutter 40 relative to the ground surface 62 has decreased. Thecontroller 38, sensing that the height H of the cutter 40 has beenreduced, then compares the received cutter height signal to the receivedwheel angle signal to determine the corrective action that should betaken to prevent the front 64 of the frame 36 from digging into theincline of the slope 60.

To determine that a terrain irregularity, such as the slope 60, ispresent, the controller 38 can compare the received cutter height signalto the received wheel angle signal to determine a difference inmagnitudes, with the determined difference indicating that the terrainirregularity 60 is present. To simplify determining whether a terrainirregularity is present, the cutter sensor 42 and the wheel sensor 48can be configured to send their respective signals to the controller 38with an equal magnitude when the header 24 is on a flat surface and at adesired height of the cutter 40. This allows the controller 38 to easilydetermine a terrain irregularity is present by sensing there is adifference in the magnitudes of the cutter height signal and the wheelangle signal, with the controller 38 then taking corrective action basedon the characteristics of the difference between the signals. It shouldbe appreciated that the difference in magnitudes between the cutterheight signal and the wheel angle signal does not have to be zero whenthe cutter 40 is at the desired height on a flat surface; so long as thecontroller 38 can determine there is a deviation from a baselinedifference between the magnitudes of the cutter height signal and thewheel angle signal, the controller 38 can determine a terrainirregularity is present. It should be further appreciated that while theslope 60 is shown as being in front of the header 24 in FIGS. 2-6, thecontroller 38 can also determine if a terrain irregularity isencountered by, for example, the drive wheels 32 of the machine 20utilizing the same general principles and adjust the positioning of theheader 24 accordingly.

In the situation shown in FIG. 2, the controller 38 can determine thatbecause there is a difference in the cutter height sensor and the wheelangle signal, the terrain irregularity 60 is present. After determiningthe terrain irregularity 60 is present, the controller 38 thendetermines which of said actuators 34A, 34B, 34C to activate and in whatmanner so the header 24 follows the contour of the ground surface 62.The controller 38 can, for example, determine that because the wheelangle signal indicates that the wheel angle αW is 0°, the differencemust be due to the height H of the cutter 40 relative to the groundsurface 62 decreasing. To compensate for this change in the groundsurface 62 due to the terrain irregularity 60, the controller 38 canactivate the fore-aft actuator 34C to tilt the header 24 in the fore-aftdirection such that a fore-aft tilt angle αT of the header 24 relativeto a pivot point 66 changes from the fore-aft tilt angle αT shown inFIG. 2 to the fore-aft tilt angle αT shown in FIG. 3. It should beappreciated that if the side-to-side tilt of the header 24 is affectedby the terrain irregularity 60, the controller 38 can also activate thelateral tilt actuator 34B to compensate for the change in side-to-sidetilt, as is known.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the header 24 has beentilted by the fore-aft actuator 34C to a different fore-aft tilt angleαT than the fore-aft tilt angle αT shown in FIG. 2. The fore-aft tiltangle αT shown in FIG. 3 better conforms to the grade of the terrainirregularity 60 so the front 64 of the frame 36 does not dig into theground of the terrain irregularity 60. The gauge wheel 50, however, haslifted off the ground surface 62 due to the fore-aft tilt angle αTchanging, causing the wheel angle αW of the wheel 50 to change due tothe gauge wheel 50 being unloaded, resulting in a change in magnitude ofthe wheel angle signal sent by the wheel sensor 48 to the controller 38.The controller 38 can receive the wheel angle signal and, detecting achange in the wheel angle signal, determine which, if any, of theactuators 34A, 34B, 34C to activate in order to tilt and/or raise theheader 24 in response. The controller 38 can be configured to, forexample, store that the header 24 had been recently tilted by thefore-aft actuator 34C, and therefore determine that the height actuator34A can be activated to vertically lower the header 24 so the gaugewheel 50 contacts the ground surface 62 once again. The controller 38may, for example, be configured to vertically lower the gauge wheel 50in the event that the wheel angle signal indicates the gauge wheel 50 isnot on the ground surface 62 and the fore-aft actuator 34C has beenactivated to tilt the header 24 within a predetermined tilt timeinterval, such as 3-5 seconds. It should be appreciated that suchconfiguration is exemplary only, and the controller 38 can be configuredto respond in other ways to the gauge wheel 50 lifting off the ground62. It should be further appreciated that the controller 38 can beconfigured to activate one or more of the actuators 34A, 34B, 34C basedon how previous activation of one or more of the actuators 34A, 34B, 34Caffects the wheel angle αW of the gauge wheel 50.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, it can be seen in FIG. 4 that the header 24has advanced such that the cutter sensor 42 has progressed past a top 68of the terrain irregularity 60 and the cutter sensor 42 and the wheelsensor 48 are on opposite sides of the top 68 of the terrainirregularity 60, i.e., the cutter sensor 42 is beginning to descend theterrain irregularity 60 while the wheel sensor 48 is still ascending theterrain irregularity 60. In such a situation, the controller 38 can beconfigured to sense that the header 24 is passing over the top 68 of theterrain irregularity 60, as shown in FIG. 5, and adjust the fore-afttilt angle αT of the header 24 to match the slope of the terrainirregularity 60 without any part of the header 24 digging into theground surface 62. As the header 24 then descends the terrainirregularity 60, as shown in FIGS. 5-6, the controller 38 can detect thecutter height signal and wheel angle signal changing in order toactivate one or more of the actuators 34A, 34B, 34C and control thevertical movement and/or tilting of the header 24 to keep the height Hof the cutter 40 and a cutter angle αC of the cutter 40 relative to theground surface 62 more constant by detecting and following the contourof the terrain irregularity 60. In most conditions, the cutter angle αCwill ideally be 8-20° relative to the ground surface 62, as shown inFIG. 5. The controller 38 can therefore be configured to maintain theheight H and cutter angle αC of the cutter 40 at respectively desiredvalues, which will vary by crop being collected and can be programmedinto the controller 38, by appropriately activating one or moreactuators 34A, 34B, 34C when necessary.

It should therefore be appreciated that the controller 38 of the header24 shown in FIGS. 2-6 can be configured to compare the cutter heightsignal from the cutter sensor 40 and the wheel angle signal from thewheel sensor 48 to determine when a terrain irregularity is present andactivate one or more of the actuators 34A, 34B, 34C accordingly so theheader 24 does not contact the terrain irregularity. It should befurther appreciated that the controller 38 can be configured in avariety of ways to detect differences in the cutter height signal andwheel angle signal and responsively activate one or more of theactuators 34A, 34B, 34C appropriately, depending on the configuration ofthe agricultural vehicle 20. Further, the controller 38 can beconfigured to take other factors into account, such as a speed of thevehicle 20 and a rate of change in the wheel angle αW, to determinewhich of the actuators 34A, 34B, 34C to activate in order to avoiddamage to the header 24 as well as predict characteristics of terrain infront of the header 24 as the vehicle 20 travels forward.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method700 performed by the controller 38 in accordance with the presentinvention is shown. As can be seen, the controller 38 receives S10 thecutter height signal and also receives S12 the wheel angle signal. Thecontroller 38 compares S14 the cutter height signal and the wheel anglesignal to determine if a terrain irregularity is present, such as bydetermining S16 whether a difference between magnitudes of the cutterheight signal and the wheel angle signal exceeds a predetermined value.If the controller 38 determines a terrain irregularity is present, thecontroller 38 responsively activates S18 one or more of the actuators34A, 34B, 34C to adjust the frame 36 of the header 24. The controller 38can also be configured to determine S20 whether the cutter 40 is at adesired cutter height and a desired cutter angle relative to the groundsurface 62 and, if not, activate S18 one or more of the actuators 34A,34B, 34C to adjust the frame 36 and return the cutter 40 to the desiredcutter height and desired cutter angle, i.e., maintain the desiredcutter height and desired cutter angle of the cutter 40.

Referring now to FIGS. 8-12, the header 24 is shown traveling across thesame terrain irregularity 60 shown in FIGS. 2-6. However, the header 24includes a wheel sensor 148 which, while structured similarly to thewheel sensor 48 shown in FIGS. 2-6, does not detect changes in a wheelangle αW of the gauge wheel 50 to output a wheel angle signal like thepreviously described wheel sensor 48. Rather, the wheel sensor 148 isconfigured to output a wheel overload signal to a controller 138 whenthe wheel sensor 148 detects that the gauge wheel 50 is linearly and/orangularly displaced to a stroke end, indicated by line 102 in FIGS.8-12, from a neutral position, indicated by line 104 in FIGS. 8-12. Uponthe controller 138 detecting the wheel overload signal, the controller138 can responsively activate one or more of the actuators 34A, 34B, 34Cto adjust the frame 36 of the header 24. In this sense, the wheel sensor148 is configured as an overload sensor, only outputting the wheeloverload signal when the gauge wheel 50 is linearly and/or angularlydisplaced to the stroke end 102. The gauge wheel 50, for example,pivoting to the stroke end 102 indicates excessive pivoting of the gaugewheel 50 causing the spring 56 (shown in FIG. 1) of the gauge wheel 50to be overly compressed, which leads to the spring 56 attempting todecompress and potentially lifting the vehicle 20 in the process. InFIGS. 8-11, it can be seen that the gauge wheel 50 has not reached thestroke end 102. However, as shown in FIG. 12, there can be situationswhere the gauge wheel 50 is pivoted to the stroke end 102 and the cuttersensor 40 is off the ground surface 62. In known HHC systems, the cuttersensor being lifted off the ground surface would typically cause the HHCsystem controller to lower the header which could lead to a situationwhere the header and/or vehicle is severely damaged when the gauge wheelspring 56 is overly compressed.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, such a situationcan be avoided due to the wheel sensor 148 outputting the wheel overloadsignal to the controller 138 upon the gauge wheel 50 reaching the strokeend 102. The wheel sensor 148 can output the wheel overload signal when,for example, a current angular position of an arm 154 of the wheelsensor 148 relative to a mount 152 of the wheel sensor 148 reaches agauge wheel overload position relative to the mount 152, which indicatesthe gauge wheel 50 has reached the stroke end 102. Upon the controller138 detecting the wheel overload signal, the controller 138 activatesone or more of the actuators 34A, 34B, 34C to raise and/or tilt theframe 36 of the header 24 so the gauge wheel 50 pivots to a positionbefore the stroke end 102. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, thecontroller 138 can be configured to responsively activate the heightactuator 34A so the gauge wheel 50 pivots to an angular position beforethe stroke end 102 to avoid over-compression of a spring 56 of the gaugewheel 50, i.e., the gauge wheel 50 is no longer displaced to the strokeend 102. While this sequence may lead to a temporary increase of theheight H of the cutter 40 relative to the ground surface 62 above adesired level, such a temporary increase is a better outcome than thesubstantial damage that can occur if the frame 36 were to be loweredwhile the gauge wheel 50 is pivoted to the stroke end 102.

To ensure the cutter 40 returns to a desired height and cutter anglefollowing the controller 138 detecting the wheel overload signal, thecontroller 138 can also be coupled to the cutter sensor 42. Thecontroller 138 can also be configured to store a desired height of thecutter 40 relative to the ground surface 62, which can be compared tothe current height H of the cutter 40 sensed by the cutter sensor 42, aswell as a desired cutter angle of the cutter 40 relative to the groundsurface 62, which can be compared to the current cutter angle αCrelative to the ground surface 62. Upon the controller 138 detectingthat the current height H is not equal to the desired cutter heightand/or the current cutter angle αC is not equal to the desired cutterangle, the controller 138 can determine whether the wheel overloadsignal is present. If the wheel overload signal is not present, thecontroller 138 can activate one or more appropriate actuators 34A, 34B,34C to tilt and/or vertically move the frame 36 of the header 24 to putthe current height H and/or current cutter angle αC of the cutter 40 tothe respectively desired values. If the controller 138 detects the wheeloverload signal while attempting to return the cutter 40 to the desiredcutter height and/or desired cutter angle, the controller 138 canresponsively activate one or more appropriate actuators 34A, 34B, 34C toprevent over-compression of the spring 56. The controller 138 can thenre-attempt to return the cutter 40 to the desired cutter height and/ordesired cutter angle until the current height H and current cutter angleαC of the cutter 40 are equal to the desired cutter height and desiredcutter angle, respectively, and the wheel overload signal is notdetected by the controller 138.

Referring now to FIG. 13, a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method1300 performed by the controller 138 in accordance with the presentinvention is shown. When the gauge wheel 50 reaches the stroke end 102,the wheel sensor 148 can output the wheel overload signal, with thecontroller 138 detecting S22 the wheel overload signal. The controller138 can then activate S24 one or more of the actuators 34A, 34B, 34Cresponsively to receiving the wheel overload signal in order to adjustthe height and/or tilt angle of the frame 36 of the header 24, whichadjusts the height and/or tilt angle of the cutter 40. After activatingS24 one or more of the actuators 34A, 34B, 34C, the controller 138 candetermine S26 whether the gauge wheel 50 is still at the stroke end 102after adjusting the height and/or tilt angle of the frame 36. If thecontroller 138 determines that the gauge wheel 50 is still at the strokeend 102 after adjusting the height and/or tilt angle, the controller 138can once again activate S24 one or more of the actuators 34A, 34B, 34Cto adjust the height and/or tilt angle of the frame 36, repeating asnecessary until the gauge wheel 50 is no longer at the stroke end 102.The controller 138 can also be configured to store a desired height ofthe cutter 40 and to determine S28 whether the cutter 40 is at thedesired height by receiving signals from the cutter sensor 42 associatedwith the cutter 40. If the cutter 40 is not at the desired height, thecontroller 138 can activate S24 one or more of the actuators 34A, 34B,34C to adjust the height and/or tilt angle of the frame 36 to place thecutter 40 at the desired height. While the controller 138 activates S24one or more of the actuators 34A, 34B, 34C to return the cutter 40 tothe desired height, the controller 138 can also be constantlydetermining S26 whether the gauge wheel 50 is at the stroke end 102,with the controller 138 prioritizing keeping the gauge wheel 50 belowthe stroke end 102 over adjusting the cutter 40 height to the desiredheight by activation S24 of one or more actuators 34A, 34B, 34C.Similarly, the controller 138 can also store a desired cutter angle andbe configured to determine S30 whether the cutter 40 is at the desiredcutter angle. If the cutter 40 is not at the desired cutter angle, thecontroller 138 can be configured to activate S24 one or more of theactuators 34A, 34B, 34C to adjust the tilt angle and/or height of theframe 36 until the cutter 40 is at the desired cutter angle. While thecontroller 138 activates S24 one or more of the actuators 34A, 34B, 34Cto return the cutter 40 to the desired cutter angle, the controller 138can also be constantly determining S26 whether the gauge wheel 50 is atthe stroke end 102, with the controller 138 prioritizing keeping thegauge wheel 50 below the stroke end 102 over adjusting the cutter angleto the desired cutter angle by activation S24 of the actuator(s) 34A,34B, 34C. It should therefore be appreciated that the controller 138 canbe configured in a variety of ways to avoid substantial damage to theheader 24 and/or vehicle 20 by controlling the actuator system 34 tokeep the gauge wheel 50 from reaching the stroke end 102 while alsokeeping the operating position and orientation of the cutter 40 atdesired levels.

It is to be understood that the steps of the methods 700 and 1300 areperformed by their respective controller 38, 138 upon loading andexecuting software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on atangible computer readable medium, such as on a magnetic medium, e.g., acomputer hard drive, an optical medium, e.g., an optical disc,solid-state memory, e.g., flash memory, or other storage media known inthe art. Thus, any of the functionality performed by the controller 38,138 described herein, such as the methods 700 and 1300, is implementedin software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on a tangiblecomputer readable medium. Upon loading and executing such software codeor instructions by the controller 38, 138, the controller 38, 138 mayperform any of the functionality of the controller 38, 138 describedherein, including any steps of the methods 700 and 1300 describedherein.

The term “software code” or “code” used herein refers to anyinstructions or set of instructions that influence the operation of acomputer or controller. They may exist in a computer-executable form,such as machine code, which is the set of instructions and data directlyexecuted by a computer's central processing unit or by a controller, ahuman-understandable form, such as source code, which may be compiled inorder to be executed by a computer's central processing unit or by acontroller, or an intermediate form, such as object code, which isproduced by a compiler. As used herein, the term “software code” or“code” also includes any human-understandable computer instructions orset of instructions, e.g., a script, that may be executed on the flywith the aid of an interpreter executed by a computer's centralprocessing unit or by a controller.

While this invention has been described with respect to at least oneembodiment, the present invention can be further modified within thespirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is thereforeintended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the inventionusing its general principles. Further, this application is intended tocover such departures from the present disclosure as come within knownor customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains andwhich fall within the limits of the appended claims.

1. A header system, comprising: a frame; a cutter carried by said frame;a cutter height sensor associated with said cutter and configured tooutput a cutter height signal; a gauge wheel carried by said framebehind said cutter; a wheel sensor associated with said gauge wheel andconfigured to output a wheel position signal; and a controllerelectrically coupled to said cutter height sensor and said wheel sensor,said controller configured to: receive said cutter height signal;receive said wheel position signal; compare said cutter height signal tosaid wheel position signal to determine that a terrain irregularity ispresent; and activate at least one actuator of an actuator system toadjust said frame in response to said determining that said terrainirregularity is present.
 2. The header system according to claim 1,wherein said wheel sensor includes an arm pivotally coupled to a mountand connected to said gauge wheel, said arm having a current angularposition relative to said mount, said arm defining a neutral angularposition relative to said mount, said wheel sensor being configured tooutput a wheel angle signal with a magnitude corresponding to adeviation of said current angular position of said arm relative to saidneutral angular position.
 3. The header system according to claim 2,wherein said cutter height sensor is configured to output said cutterheight signal with a magnitude corresponding to a height of said cutterfrom a ground surface.
 4. The header system according to claim 3,wherein said controller is further configured to determine said terrainirregularity is present when a difference between said magnitude of saidwheel angle signal and said magnitude of said cutter height signalexceeds a predetermined value.
 5. The header system according to claim4, further comprising said at least one actuator system electricallycoupled to said controller and configured to adjust at least one of aheight and a tilt angle of said frame, wherein said controller isfurther configured to determine which at least one actuator of saidactuator system to activate based on said determined difference betweensaid magnitude of said wheel angle signal and said magnitude of saidcutter height signal.
 6. The header system according to claim 1, furthercomprising said actuator system electrically coupled to said controllerand configured to adjust at least one of a height and a tilt angle ofsaid frame.
 7. The header system according to claim 6, wherein saidcontroller is configured to activate at least one actuator of saidactuator system further in order to maintain a desired cutter height anda desired cutter angle of said cutter relative to a ground surface. 8.The header system according to claim 6, wherein said tilt angle is atleast one of a fore-aft tilt angle and a lateral tilt angle and saidactuator system includes at least one of a fore-aft actuator configuredto adjust said fore-aft tilt angle of said frame and a lateral actuatorconfigured to adjust said lateral tilt angle of said frame.
 9. A headersystem, comprising: a frame; a cutter carried by said frame; a gaugewheel carried by said frame behind said cutter; a wheel sensorassociated with said gauge wheel and configured to output a wheeloverload signal when said wheel sensor detects said gauge wheel isdisplaced to a stroke end; and a controller electrically coupled to saidwheel sensor, said controller configured to: detect said wheel overloadsignal; and activate at least one actuator of an actuator system toadjust said frame in response to receiving said wheel overload signal.10. The header system according to claim 9, further comprising saidactuator system electrically coupled to said controller and configuredto adjust at least one of a height and a tilt angle of said frame. 11.The header system according to claim 10, wherein said actuator systemincludes a fore-aft actuator configured to adjust a fore-aft tilt angleof said frame and said controller is configured to activate saidfore-aft actuator to adjust said fore-aft tilt angle of said frame untilsaid gauge wheel is no longer displaced to said stroke end.
 12. Theheader system according to claim 10, wherein said actuator systemfurther includes a height actuator configured to adjust said height ofsaid frame and said controller is configured to activate said heightactuator to adjust said height of said frame until said gauge wheel isno longer displaced to said stroke end.
 13. The header system accordingto claim 9, wherein said wheel sensor includes an arm pivotally coupledto a mount and connected to said gauge wheel, said arm having a currentangular position relative to said mount, said arm defining a gauge wheeloverload position relative to said mount, said wheel sensor beingconfigured to output said overload signal when said current angularposition of said arm reaches said gauge wheel overload position.
 14. Theheader system according to claim 9, wherein said header system includesa cutter height sensor associated with said cutter and configured tooutput a cutter height signal corresponding to a height of said cutterto said controller.
 15. The header system according to claim 14, whereinsaid controller is further configured to store a desired height of saidcutter and to activate said at least one actuator of said actuatorsystem to adjust said frame until said height of said cutter is equal tosaid desired height and said wheel overload signal is not detected bysaid controller.
 16. The header system according to claim 14, whereinsaid controller is further configured to store a desired cutter angle ofsaid cutter and to activate said at least one actuator of said actuatorsystem to adjust said frame until a cutter angle of said cutter is equalto said desired cutter angle and said wheel overload signal is notdetected by said controller.
 17. The header system according to claim14, wherein said controller is further configured to store a desiredheight and a desired cutter angle of said cutter and to activate said atleast one actuator of said actuator system to adjust said frame untilsaid height is equal to said desired height, a cutter angle of saidcutter is equal to said desired cutter angle, and said wheel overloadsignal is not detected by said controller.